The Friends of All Hallows Hospital in Ditchingham are celebrating after raising £1 million pounds for the hospital.
Back row left to right.. Jenny Edmonds, Frank James, Maureen Davies, Pauline Evans, John Palin. (front row left to right) Sheila Mills, Mavin Shulver and Fudge and chairman Pat Blakeman.

Photo gallery: £1m milestone for hospital friends

By LOUISA LAY
Friday, December 14, 2012
9:36 AM

A dedicated group of fundraisers are celebrating after passing the £1m mark.

The Friends of All Hallows Hospital, at Ditchingham, near Bungay, have been raising money for the past 36 years to help offer the best possible environment for patients, and after countless parties, quizzes, musical evenings, raffles and speakers, they have reached a cool million from their efforts.

Pat Blakeburn, chairman of the Friends, said: “It is only through the support of both local people and local companies that we have achieved this wonderful milestone.

“Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who has supported us throughout the years. We really couldn’t have done it without you.”

The group was set up in 1976 when a few Bungay residents agreed to help the sisters from the Community of All Hallows, who owned the hospital, raise funds to pay for central heating oil.

It attracted significant levels of support and the Association of Friends of All Hallows Hospital was formed.

In the last 36 years money has been raised in a wide variety of ways and the hospital has benefited from a new day treatment and therapy centre, a sensory garden, three new palliative care rooms, beds and other equipment.

John Randle, chairman of All Hallows Healthcare Trust said: “Without the remarkable support and fundraising of the Friends over the decades, the hospital and the nursing home would have been in serious problems instead of being the thriving communities they are today.

“I stress the word ‘communities’ because community is a great benefit which the Friends bring to us by involving such a wide spectrum of local knowledge, talent and generosity of spirit to our work in caring for our patients and residents.”

The latest fundraising project is to buy specialist hoists for rooms within both the hospital and All Hallows Nursing Home in Bungay.